First Encounter

That was the night my life changed forever. That was the night I first encountered Ganondorf. Not physically, mind you, but in a dream. As I would discover later, my father's influence within my mind was just as powerful as it would be if I had physically encountered him.

I was in a dark room. As I looked around, I realized it was a bedroom. There were a few stained glass windows made with dark colors, and through which no sunlight shined. The only light source was the flickering candles set on the tables around the room.

"My son." I whirled around to see someone sitting in an arm chair in the corner of the room. I immediately realized that he was Ganondorf Dragmire. It was not difficult to recognize him merely by the evil that radiated from him, but the resemblance between him and the indestructible oil portrait left no doubts to be considered.

"I have been waiting for this day for a long time," he said, his lips stretching into a malicious grin.

"I know how you've been taught, how you've been raised," he began, standing and slowly walking toward me. "I've been watching you since you were born. I know all about you. I know that Zelda has been trying to turn you against me, and now I have come to prevent that. You deserve to hear both sides of the story, now don't you?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What are you talking about?"

He ignored me. "This is where it happened," he stated, opening his arms wide and gesturing around the room.

"Where what happened?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

His grin deepened. "Why, this is where you were created, my boy," he replied. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach as I realized what he was implying. This was where he had seduced my mother.

I glared at him angrily. "You sick bastard," I spat. "I hate you."

He just chuckled and shook his head. "Go ahead. Hate me. It won't change who you are, and who you will become. In fact, hatred can be beneficial. It intensifies your effort and determination. Feel it, and draw from its power."

"What are you talking about?" I asked irately.

"We have much in common, you and I," he said, once again ignoring my question.

"I'm nothing like you," I objected angrily.

"Oh, but you are," he confirmed, that smug smile remaining on his face. "In more ways than you can imagine."

His grin suddenly faded and was replaced with an utterly serious expression. "You will do as I say," he declared, his eyes burning into mine. "It is your destiny."

I found myself strangely unable to object to this. He was telling me that I had an actual purpose in life, that I was worth something. Plus, his blazing amber eyes and dark aura honestly frightened me to quite an extent. I did not desire to see what he was like when he was truly angry.

"I'm here for you Kiran, despite what your preconceived notions of me are," he said, the intensity now gone from his voice. In fact, he was beginning to sound… almost fatherly, in a way. "I have always been here… in your mind, even when you didn't know it. It is taking a while for me to gain enough strength and power to make my presence within you more apparent, but it is happening none the less. Soon I shall be able to communicate with you like this regularly. Won't you like that now, Kiran? Being able to speak with me, your real father, on a daily basis?"

I stared at him for a long moment, confusion invading my brain and making me feel helpless. I honestly did not know how to reply to him, part of me knowing that what he was proposing was exactly what I had been missing, what I had been desiring my entire life…

"No," I muttered. "You… I don't want to speak to you. I despise you…"

"Do you, Kiran?" he asked, his eyebrow raising as he interrogated me. "Do you really hate me as much as you think you do? Or do you say that merely because it's what you've been taught to believe your entire life? You heard their side of the story, but you must understand that there's also my side to consider. I'm giving you the opportunity to get to know me and form your own opinion of me, and eventually to follow in my footsteps. After all, you are my son." His gaze seemed to soften a bit as he said these words, and I felt my heart ache in my chest.

"So, what do you say, Kiran? Will you give me a chance? Will you give yourself a chance? You could be great and powerful, you could be known and respected by all… even more so than Link, and I will help you achieve all of this.

"Answer me, my boy. Do you accept?"

"I… yes," I replied, feeling my heart pounding in my chest as I made the sudden decision. "I will… give it a chance, I suppose."

Ganondorf grinned, his burning ember eyes full of pride. My heart warmed as he stared down at me. Link had never, ever looked at me in such a way.

"I have much to teach you," he stated. "And now we have the connection to do so. But now you must sleep. Go back, Kiran, and I will be with you when you awaken. You will feel me, hear me…"

His face and voice faded as I was engulfed by darkness, leaving the dream world and returning to reality.

But his presence did not fade. He stayed with me and made himself known when I awakened, just as he had told me.

Kiran, can you hear me? His voice resounded in my head, and I couldn't help but smile.

Yes, I thought. I can hear you, Father.

Good…good…

I peacefully fell back asleep as thoughts of having my real father with me helped to soothe my soul.